Herbal composition comprising ginger and goldenrod for the treatment of cold and flu

1. A method of preventing and/or treating a flu infection in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a composition comprising a combination of ginger and goldenrod, wherein the ginger:goldenrod ratio is about 1:5 or about 5:1, and whereby the flu infection is prevented or treated.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises at least one non-medicinal ingredient.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises ginger in the form of a ginger extract and/or goldenrod in the form of a goldenrod extract.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises ginger in the form of ginger powder.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the ginger extract is a crude ginger extract.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the ginger extract is a crude 100% water ginger extract.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the ginger extract is a CO 2 ginger extract.

8. The method of claim 3 , wherein the goldenrod extract is a crude goldenrod extract.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the goldenrod extract is a crude 100% water goldenrod extract.

10. The method of claim 3 , wherein the goldenrod extract is an alcoholic goldenrod extract.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the alcoholic goldenrod extract is a hydroalcoholic goldenrod extract.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the alcohol used for production of the hydroalcoholic extract comprises a primary alcohol.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the primary alcohol comprises methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 1-butanol or any combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the primary alcohol is ethanol.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the alcohol used for production of the hydroalcoholic extract comprises a secondary alcohol.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein a mixture of at least two different alcohols is used for production of the alcoholic extract.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the alcoholic extract is prepared using a solution comprising between about 20% and between about 85% of alcohol.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the alcoholic extract is prepared using a solution comprising about 60% of alcohol.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the alcoholic extract is prepared using a solution comprising about 30% of alcohol.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ratio is about 1:5 of ginger:goldenrod.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ratio is about 6:1 of ginger:goldenrod.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the effective amount comprises between about 40 mg and about 4500 mg of ginger.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the effective amount comprises between about 40 mg and about 200 mg of ginger.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the effective amount comprises between about 43.5 mg and about 174 mg of ginger.

25. The method of claim 22 , wherein the effective amount comprises between about 1000 mg and about 4500 mg of ginger.

26. The method of claim 22 , wherein the effective amount comprises between about 2000 mg and about 4000 mg of ginger.

27. The method of claim 1 , wherein the effective amount comprises between about 200 mg and about 800 mg of goldenrod.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the effective amount comprises between 400 mg and about 800 mg of goldenrod extract.

29. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a blueberry powder.

30. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ginger is Zingiber officinale Roscoe.

31. The method of claim 1 , wherein the goldenrod is Solidago virgaurea.

32. The method of claim 1 , wherein ginger and goldenrod are the sole medicinal ingredients for the treatment of flu infections in the composition.

33. The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one non-medicinal ingredient is microcrystalline cellulose, cross-linked sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, stearic acid, silica colloidal, magnesium stearate and/or calcium monohydrogen phosphate.

34. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is a nutraceutical or dietary or veterinary composition.

35. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is a food supplement.

36. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is comprised in a beverage or food product.

37. The method of claim 36 , wherein the beverage is a 2 to 6 oz shooter beverage.

38. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is administered within 48 h of the onset of flu symptoms.

39. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is administered within 24 h of the onset of flu symptoms.

40. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is administered twice daily.

41. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition prevents and/or treats at least one of the following symptoms: the viral titer in the subject's blood or cells, runny nose, plugged nose, sneezing, sore throat, scratchy throat, cough, hoarseness, head congestion, chest congestion, exhaustion, fever, muscle pain, loss of appetite, headache and chills.

42. The method of claim 41 , wherein the composition prevents and/or treats at least two of the symptoms.

43. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is a non-human animal.

44. The method of claim 5 , wherein the ginger extract is an alcoholic ginger extract.